Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-28

| tied herself comfortably to the perusal of
| the same. with her amt sitting opposite,
| her puffs in a state of the most perfect or
| Ger, and her attention given TO the knit
7 ting of stocking destined for the Orphans
| Home-why did Miss Mather evince emo
! ton of so pleasant nature at the ringing
of the door-bell which announced the ar
rival of DR.. Moxton and his nephew. She
| could not reasonably have supposed it to
! be other than Mr. Hawley on a pastoral
call, or old Mrs. Phelps with her knitting,
also for the Orphans Home. Why, too,
| did Mr.. Hardy, having been presented to
| Mrs. Lester, and being thus enabled to
| crafty his previously declared ambition as
regarded her acquaintance. exhibit rather
disposition to further cultivate that of
| her niece
" was telling Or. Moxton last evening,
Mr.. Hardy observed Mrs. Lester, inter
rupting his opening speech TO that young
| lady " how extremely you resemble your
mothers family the Moxtons; your father
remember to have been considered fine
looking man."
The conclusion was inevitable. Mr.
| Hardy smiled in a slightly embarrassed
| manner; and Miss Mather turned her at
tention with suspicious abruptness to the
rescue of a moth from the globe of the
lamp.
All! that reminds me, doctor" Mrs.
Lester continued, regarding her nieces
efforts, - that | came across an article yes
terday which precisely confirms my i'm
pressions as to the habits of beetles, which
you thought to be incorrect, you remem-
| Der. The article states that beetles, cOLeOp-
terd-have -have-Dorothea will you look
for the last Rericel Il is that which con-
tains the article"
The doctor leaned back in his chair and
rubbed his glasses, looking resigned but
| inYincible
You cannot imagine, Miss Mather,"
said Mr.. Hardy-Airs. Lester having set
tied herself determinedly to DIR. Moxton
and the Reeieg-'' how have been spend
ing most of the day"
" In packing your vallse, perhaps ?''
! she replied; probably because she felt tol-
erably certain that that was the thing he
was least likely to have been doing.
On the contrary, have unpacked it.
Well, have been devoting all my ener-
| gies to adjusting matters for row on the
river
The riverp repeated Miss Mather.
Why, | supposed it was too small and
muddy"
- 1t is rather small, he admitted, regret
fully, " and incidentally muddy; but have
| discovered that il can be rowed upon, and
| have found skiff and two oars in the
possession of three different parties; and
am now looking forward to the pleasure of
taking you rowing tomorrow"
How very kind in you !" She gave him
the sweetest Of smiles. " But am afraid
| | am very sure-that my aunt would not
approve Of my going; she is $3.50 particu-
lar
. Do not suggest anything so horrible, "
said Mr.. Hardy
But l suggest it because it will most
probably be the case. She is dreadfully par
ticular about great many things, and l
am one of them. On the whole, am so
sorry; bat | should advise you not to men,
ton it to her."
q Perhaps it might be more successful if
1t were not to be mentioned to her at all ?''
he suggested, obviously.
Oh, dear, no! l did not mean that"
Then l shall beard the-I shall ask
her, said Mr.. Hardy, with decision, land
may prOpitiouS fate be over me-
The conversation drifted along very
smoothly after that, from boating to bath
ing; from bathing to fishing-Mr Hardy
proposing to send home Immediately for
his fishing tackle, and TO try the muddy,
little river-of course, with Miss Mathers
assistance-and from fishing to skating,
until there appeared to be an exhaustion of
aqueous topics, and on to a very great va
riety of subjects. Their acquaintance inn
proved at "a surprising rate; they could
hardly have credited the fact of having
met only the evening before.
But the discussion, across the table, of
whose progress they had been quite I'M
mindful, appeared presently, to be taking
| a more vigorous form, the ReUielg having
| been laid aside.
81 might naturally be supposed, mad
| am" the doctor was saying, rather warmly,
* to be so far informed on such a subject as
to be able to express an opinion with some
! degree of certainty
We were discussing the divisions of the
| skeleton" Mrs. Lester explained with I'M
rutfled calmness; 80 the doctor insists uron
four, but | am quite sure that the upper
and lower extremities may be classed to-
| gether"
From beetles to bones, said Miss Math-
er. facetiously.
= 1 have never been able, Dorothea," OBJ
served her aunt, regarding her with some
severity, to perceive the humor of ALTER
! alton"
1t was not an suspicious moment for
broaching the subject for the next days
programme; but as DR.. Moxton had con-
| suited his watch and risen, there seemed to
! be no alternative.
have been at great pains, Mrs. Les
| ter said Mr.. Hardy, with much impas-
!
row on the river; and | have been asking
Miss Mather to accompany me-"
" hope, Dorothea, said Mrs. Lester,
with ominous deliberation, - that you have
not consented to the plan?"
Miss Mather was visibly anxious.
should like very much to GO she
said.
Because, continued her aunt, apparently
not hearing her, should entirely disap-
| prove of such proceeding"
There was disheartened pause.
Perhaps" said Mr. Hardy, with the
/ boldness of desperation, you would not
object to Miss Mathers' going if you were
| to go also; | should be most happy, | as
sure you"
1t was last resort; but he was filled with
dismay al the result. Mrs. Lester regarded
| him in strong silence, and without deign-
ing to reply.
am so very sorry" Miss Mather whis-
| pered, as he bid her detected good night
That is an extraordinary young man,
Dorothea," said Mrs. Lester, as the hall
| door was heard to close after them 81
must admit that he has impressed me quite
! unfayorably He is really so remarkably
! like the Moxtons"
Miss Mather twisted the chain on her
bracelet in silence. She was feeling, some
how, little depressed.
/ mat depression she felt to be unhappily
reasserting itself. as she sat, the next after
noon, under the largest maple in her aunt's
4 well-kept door-yard, with a fan and a
| small black kitten and the volume of
! Thackeray. She was devotfng more atten-
/ ton to the kitten than to Thackeray. and
more to the beauty of the day and its man
| ifest suitabieness for boating than to the
| kitten.
- 1t would have been so nice" she was
! rejecting discontentedly for the twentieth
/ time; when she became aware that gen.
| tleman who had been sauntering down the
street in an aimless manner had stopped
opposite the gate and was preparing to en-
ter; and was not greatly surprised at per-
ceiving it to be Mr.. Hardy.
You are ready to go rowing, l sup
! poser she said, enviously, as he braced
himself against the maple.
"Oh. no: | have given il up, he re-